School Board Clears Use Of `Its' Fairgrounds

Lehighton School Board last night granted permission for the 1992 Carbon County Fair to be held at the fairgrounds.

And the board authorized its architects to study whether the hangar at the fairgrounds could be used for the district's central storage, garage and maintenance space.

The architects will also study whether an administrative office building can be built adjacent to the hangar.

A couple of board members repeatedly referred to the fairgrounds as the district's property last night. The board's solicitor, William Schwab, filed documents at the Carbon County Courthouse initiating condemnation of the 40-acre fairgrounds Jan. 31.

The board authorized Schwab on Jan. 27 to take the property by eminent domain so school officials could proceed with a building project, which includes constructing a high school on land next to the fairgrounds.

Although the board now considers the fairgrounds district property, the board wanted to assure the Fair Association that the 1992 Carbon County Fair could still be held -- at no cost to the association -- at the fairgrounds. The association will have to provide insurance, cleanup, maintenance and security for the fair.

Board Member Clark Hawk said he was concerned about other groups that the Agricultural Association may have promised use of the fairgrounds in 1992.

Hawk suggested granting permission to all the groups that the Agricultural Association had promised could use the field. But Ball said that could delay construction of the new high school.

Schwab said he will contact the Agricultural Association to see what other groups were promised use of the fairgrounds and will coordinate arrangements for those requests to come before the School Board.

Superintendent Shirley Ball asked the board whether she should pursue discussions about several possible sites for a new administration building.

Board member Larry Markley said the board is spending a lot of money considering other sites for the administration building.

"We have the fairgrounds property now so why go out of the way to look at other parcels instead of putting everything together at the same site?" Markley asked. "The board has to decide if we want a complex at the fairgrounds or if we want our buildings scattered all over the district."

Ball said the board has cost estimates to build the administration offices at several other sites, but does not know what it would cost to build it next to the hangar at the fairgrounds.

The board decided to have the architects determine the cost of building the administration offices adjacent to the hangar.